General Discussion

For the entirety of human existence--across all cultures and eras--there has been a tension between reality and religion. And I do not mean that in a bad way. Religion has obviously served a vital role in the organization and development of culture throughout human history. But from a modern perspective we know religion got many facts wrong about how the world actually works. Despite that fact, religion is still a major factor in today's society--even among scientists who are tasked with accepting outcomes of observations free of bias.

What Trump has cobbled together politically feels much more like a religion than a political movement. It has nothing to do with reality. It demands people believe in IT over anything else--and many do. This gravity brings in many others who look at the stark message of reality that Democrats try to sell and feel like it is far easier to buy into the idea that all of their problems are caused by the external forces of immigration and DEI than by a much more complicated social contract involving tax policy and the equitable distribution of resources in society.

Yes, I understand this is a ludicrous position we find ourselves in, but I think it is crucial to understand in order to go forward as a society. Religion in its many forms has been a powerful tool in shaping society, and it really feels as if we are up against some new form of religion in the MAGA movement. Combatting it demands developing counterarguments based on this understanding.